Conducting Telephone Interviews

[Dick Margulis]

John Cook wrote:
> 
> I used to hate the question until I realized that the answer is
> simple: I like writing and will be writing for the rest of my life,
> whether that's five years or fifty, and whether I'm getting paid for
> it or not.  After that, the answer is then simplified to "I expect to
> continue to hone my skills and craft, and I'd like to learn the latest
> relevant tool for my career".
> 
> Now, whether employers like to hear that answer or not is another
> question, but at least I'm comfortable with it on my end.

The question stems from a view of personality theory that says people 
can be neatly divided into planners and problem solvers. If the 
interviewer understands why he or she is supposed to ask the question 
and how to interpret the response, in theory, the answer either confirms 
that you will be compatible with the company's needs for the position 
you are seeking or that you will be incompatibly with those needs.

The worst abuse occurs where a company decides it wants to be populated 
entirely with planners, because then everyone will get along, 
irrespective of the actual job function. The second-worst abuse occurs 
where the company decides that the job function requires one of the two 
types, irrespective of who the other people in the work group are.

Whether or not you agree with the underlying dichotomy, by understanding 
where the question is coming from you can shape your response 
appropriately. Personally, I'm not the least bit shy about telling 
people I'm a problem solver, not a planner, and then going on to explain 
why that makes me a good fit for the job and acknowledging it means I'm 
a poor candidate for a senior management position. Other people are 
understandably less comfortable being that straightforward (depending on 
the nature of the job and the company). Forewarned is forearmed.

Dick
You never know what you'll find at http://ampersandvirgule.blogspot.com/